Railway switch controlling apparatus



Feb. 16, 1932. B. R. IPADMORE ONTROLLING APPARATUS RAILWAY SWITCH Filed Aug. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet NVENTOR: (3. Q 1. u

F61; R6, 1932. B, R PADMO E 1,845,175

RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Aug- 1, 1923 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 75 45- fj I 77 E17 j v )NVENTORI Fly. 4. NU/

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 [UNITED STATES: PATENT- OFFICE BERTRAM It. PADMORCE," OF BLAWN OX,- PENNSY LVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE "UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OE SWISSVALE, PENNSYLWANIAMLA CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Applicationfiled August 21,1923; Serial No. 658,540.

My invention relates to railway switch con .trolling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising means located on a vehicle and arranged to co-operate with means located in the trackway for'operating a railway switch. a

I will describe severalforms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig, l is a view, partly diagrammatic, showing one form and arrangement of railway switch con-' trolling apparatusv embodying my invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 1 are views showing various modifications of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1' and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of-the several views, 9

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a railroad over which trafiic normally moves in the direction of the arrow. These rails are divided, by means of insulated joints 2, into successive track sections XA, A-B', BC,

' etc. Each such section is provided'with a source of track circuit current here shown as a secondary winding 4 of a track transformer designated by the reference character T with an exponent correspondingto the location, which secondary winding is connected across the rails adjacent the exit end of the section. The primary 5 of each such track transformer T is constantly supplied with alternating current from a suitable source of energy, such as a generator G, over line wires 3 and 3 Each section'is' also provided with a track relay designated by the reference character R with an exponent corresponding to the location and connected across the rails adjacent the entrance end of the section.

Section XA is provided with a switch13 for allowing trafiic to proceed ontotrack D or to continue on the main track through section XA, depending on the position of the switch. The switch 13 is operated by a motor device M which is responsive to reversals in the polarity of the current with which it is supplied to move switch 13 into one or the other of its extreme positions. It will be noted that the switch is operated by a motion fingers 84 and 84 are then supplied to motor M from battery H,

plate 81 containing a slot 83 coacting with i a roller 82 which .is operatively connected with the movable points of the switch. This particular type of operating device is chosen merely for purposes of illustration, however, and-is only one of several types of equivalent devices which may be employed to accomplish the same result. The. motion plate 81 is shifted or reciprocated bya motor M having an armature 9 0 and a field winding89.

This motor is controlledby a circuit controller E comprising two windings 79 and 80 and a pair of contact fingers 8 1 and 84?. The motoris further controlled by two contacts 93 and 94 which are operatively connected with motion plate 81 and are so arranged that contact 93 is closed when switch 13 is normal, that is, set for traffic to continue through the main track, and contact 9& is closed when switch 13 is reversed. Winding 80 is constantly supplied with current from some suitable source as a battery H over wires 95 and 96, while winding 79 is supplied with current of one relative polarity or the other by means of wires 33 and 34 as will appear hereinafter. As shown in the drawings, the switch is normal; when theswitchfisto ,be closed the polarity of the current supplied to wires 33 and 34 is reversed, so that contact reversed. Current is through wire 97, contact 84, wire 88, field winding 89, wire 85, contact 84?, wire 91,

contact 93, wire 92, armature 9 0, and wire 98 back to battery H. When the switch reaches its full reversed position, contact 93 opens,

thereby opening the circuit ust traced and so de-energizing motor M. Contact 94 closes at the same time. When theswitch 13 is to be returned to normal, the relative polarity of thecurrent supplied to winding79isagain versed, so that contact fingers 84 and 84 are restored to the positions in which they are shown in the drawings. Current then flows from battery H, through. wire97, contact 84, wires 87 and 85, field winding 89 of motor M, wire 86, contact 8 1*, wire 88, contact 94, wire 92, armature 90 and wire 98 back to battery H. As soon as the motion of switch 13 is completed, contact/9 1 opens andcontact 93 closes, so that the parts are restored to the positions in which they are shown in the drawings.

The portion of track D to the right of the fouling point 2 is included in' the track circuit for the section to the left of point A in the usual and well known manner. 7 Located in the traclrway adjacent the entrance endof section BC is an inductor'device L comprising a U-shaped member 23 of paramagnetic material having a winding 10 thereon. The winding 10 is provided with a circuit which starts with secondary 6 of a transformer S (the primary of which is constantly supplied with alternating current over line wires 3 and 3 from generator G) and passes through wire 14, winding 10 of inductor device L, wire 15, auxiliary relay F, wires 16 and 20, front contact 21 of track relay R and wires 22 and 19 back to secondary 6 of transformer S. This circuit is closed only when relay R is energized, under which condition alternating current from transformer S traversesthe winding 10 and the winding of relay F. The circuit for winding l0is provided with a branch around relay contact 21, which branch comprises wire 17 and contact 18 of relay F. This branch is of course closed only when relay F is ene rgized. As shown in the drawings the section to the right of point C is occupied by a vehicle designatedin generalby the reference character W. This vehicle is provided with an inductor device J comprising an inverted U- shaped member 24 of paramagnetic material carrying a winding 11 the terminals of which may be connected together by means of a manually operable switch 25. The device J is so proportioned and so located with respect to the vehicle upon which it is mounted that as the vehicle passes device L located in the trackway, device J is moved into inductive relation with device L so that the varying flux caused by the alternating current in winding 10 traverses member 24. If contact 25 is closed when devices J and L are in registry, the reluctance of'the magnetic circuit for winding 10 will not be materially affected, and so the reactance of this winding will not be materially varied, with the result that relay F will remain closed. If, however, contact 25 is open when the two devices register, the reluctance of the magnetic circuit for winding 10 will be materially decreased, so that the reactance of this winding will be materially increased and this will decrease the current in'winding 10 and the relay F below the value required to keep'the relay closed. Relay F will then open.

Winding 7 9 of circuit controller E is governed by track relaysR and R and also by relay F, the contacts 27 and 39 of which constitute a pole-changer to reverse the polarity of the current in winding 79 when relay F is deenergized; The circuit for Winding 7 9 front contacts and 37 of relay R is from battery K through wire 26, front contact 27 of relay F, wires 28 and 29, front contact 30 of track relay R wire 31, front contact 32 of track relay R wire 33, winding 79 ofcircuit controller E, wire 34:, front contact 35 of track relay R wire 36, front contact 37 of track relay R wire 38, front contact 39 of relay F and wire 40 back to battery .K.l l/Vhen'relay F is de-energized, the circuit is from battery K through wire 26, back contact 27 of rela F, wire 38, thence as before through-winc ing 79 of circuit controller E and through wire 29, back contact 39 of re- .lay F, and wire 40 to'battery K. It is thererelaysR R and R are all energized, relay F is energized, and winding 79 of circuit controller E is supplied with current of what I shall term normal relative polarity so that switch 13 is in such position as to allow traffic to continue past this switch along rails 1 and 1. I will now assume that vehicle W enters section B-C. Relay R is immediately de-energized but relay F is still energized over its own front contact. If contact 25 is closed, no change will occur as device J passes device L. As the vehicle enters section AB, relay R is de-energized, and as the vehicle enters section XA, relay R becomes de-energized. Each of these track relays opens the circuit for winding 7 9, and so it is impossible for motor dev1ce Mto be reversed and hence impossible to operate switch 13 while the vehicle is between points B and X.

If the engineman wishes to reverse the switch 13 he will see that contact 25 is open while device J is passing over device L. As aresult, the decreased current through relay F allows this relay to become de-energized, thus supplying current of reverse polarity to winding 79 which thereupon causes reversal of switch 13 to set up the route into track D. As the vehicle leaves section BG, the energization of relay R causes relay F to pick-up but this is not effective to restore switch 13 since the circuit for winding 79 isopen at For a similar reason the switch cannot be restored while the vehicle is in section ZA. As the vehicle passes the fouling point Z of track D, however, the resulting energization of track relay R completes the normal circuit for winding 79 which automatically restores the sWitch 13 to its normal position.

The same results may be obtained by means of the apparatus shown in 2. In the form of apparatus here illustrated, the vehicle carried device J is the same as before.

The trackway device L, however,is provided "with two windings,'one of which 10, is pro- In addition to winding 10, a second winding 42 is provided on element 23 of inductordevice L, the circuit for which winding is from battery P, through wire 14, winding 42, wire 52, front contact 53 of relay F, and wire 19 to battery P. The switch operatingapparatus has been omitted from this figure, but it is understood that it is controlled by contacts 27 and 39 of relay F exactly as in Fig. 1.

As inductor device J passes over deviceL,

if contact 25 is open, the flux through the magnetic element 23 will be suddenly changed. "As a result, an electromotive force will be induced in the winding 42, which will be applied to the terminals of the battery P. The parts are so disposed and proportioned that this induced electromotive force is opposite in direction to that applied to the circuit by battery P. As a result these two electromotive forces counteract each other and relayF becomes de-energized. If contact 25 is closed as the device J passes device L, the effect of the winding 11 is'to oppose the passage of magnetic flux through element :24 and the flux then linking winding 7 "from some suitable source, not shown in the drawings. The trackway inductor device L has a winding 10 whose terminals are .connected with a relay It is plain that as device J passes Over device, L, an electro-motive force will be induced in winding 10 if contact 25 is closed, but no such electro-motive force will be induced in this winding if contact 25 is open. The electro-motive force so generated causes relay Q, to become momentarily energized, thereby closing a circuit for relay F which passes from battery P through wire 42, winding of relay F, wires 73 and 74, front contact 44 of relayQ, and wires 45 and 46, back to battery P. It will thus be seen that with the apparatus shown "in Fig. 3 a vehicle entering the section BC with contact 25 closed will de-ener ize relay R and momentarily energize relay F. This relay F is subsequently maintained 'inits energized condition by a stick circuit which passes from battery P, through wire 72, winding of relay F, wires 73 and 77, front contact 7 6 of relay F, wire 75, backcontact 47 of track relay B", and wire 46 'backto versed.

in the same manner as in Fig. 3.

battery P. The relayjF controls, by its contacts '27 and 39, the polarity of the current supplied to device M in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the relay F is in Fig. 3normally de-energize'dan'd therefore isoperative to reverse switch 13 only when energized, whereas in Figs. 1 and 2 the switch 13 is reversed when relay F is de-energized. In Fig. 3, if contact 25 is not closed when device J passes device L, no energization of relay F results and consequently the switch 13 is not re- In the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4, the reference character 59. designates a contact rail or ramp located along the trackway adjacent the entrance end of section BC and adapted to engage a contact shoe 58 carried on the vehicle. If, when shoe 58is in contact with ramp 59, contact 25 is closed, current flows from battery P, through wires 54 and 55, rail 1 of section BC, the wheel 77 and axle 78 of thevehicle, wire 56, contact 25, wire 57 shoe 58, ramp 59, wires 60 and 61, winding of-relay F, and wire 62 back to battery P, thus energizing relay F. Since relay R is already de-energized by the presence of the vehicle in section B-C, relay F is subsequently retained in its energized condition by current which flows from battery P, through wires 54 and 63, back contact 64 of track relay R wire 65, front contact 66 of relay F, wire 67 front contact 68 of relay F, wire 69, back contact -7 of track relay R wires 71 and'61, Winding of relay F and wire 62 back to battery P. The motor device M is controlled over wires 38 and 29 It should be particularly pointed out that the apparatus herein shown and described allows an engineman to operate a switch in advance of the vehicle without leaving his cab, and prevents further operation of this switch till the vehicle has passed the switch after which the switch is automatically returned to its normal conditions. Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus descrlbed my invention, what a switch,-means located inthe trackway and g co-operating with apparatus located upon a vehicle to operate said switch, and means 1ncluding a track rail circu t for preventing subsequent operation of saidswitch while said'vehicle is between said trackway means and the switch. Y

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track containing a switch, a-track relay for said stretch, an auxiliary-relay for controlling said switch, and means including vehicle carried means and said track relayfor actuating said auxiliary relay. 7

3. In combination, a' stretch of railway track containing a switch, a track relay'for said stretch, an auxiliary relay-for controlling said switch, manually controlled means on a vehicle, means controlled'by said first 5. In combination, a stretch of railway track containing a switch, an inductor device located 111 the trackway and comprising a .paramagnetic core having a winding thereon, a track relay connected across the rails of'said stretch, an auxiliary relay, a pick-up circuit for said auxiliary relay including said winding and a front contact of saidtrack relay, a retaining circuit for said'auxiliary relay omitting the said contact on' the track relay but including a front contact on -said auxiliary relay, means carried on a vehicle for at times co-operating with said inductor device to decrease the current through the winding thereon, and means controlled by such auxiliary relay for actuating said switch.

6. In combination, a first, a second, and a third section of railway track,aswitchfor said third section, a track relay for each said section, an inductor device located in the trackway adjacent said first section, an auxiliary relay associatedwith said device, means controlled by said auxiliary relay and said track relays for actuating said switch, and vehicle carried means arranged to co-operate with said device to operate said auxiliary relay.

7. In combination, a'first, a second, and a third sect-ion of railway track, a switch for said third section, a track relav for each said section, an auxiliary relay located in the trackway, vehicle carried means for operating said auxiliary relay, and means controlled by said auxiliary relay and said track relays for actuating said switch.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a switch, an inductor device located in the trackway, vehicle carried means adapted to co-operate with said device to operate said switch when the vehicle approaches said'switch, and means for preventing subsequent operation of such switch till the vehicle has passed out of the stretch.

9i Incombination, a section ofrailway track, aswitc'h in said section, trackway means, means on afvehicle for co-operating with said trackway means to operate said switch as the vehicle approaches said switch, manually operable means for controlling such co-operation, and means including a track rail circuit for subsequently preventing operation of said switch while the vehicle is in said section.

10. In combination, a stretch of track provided with a switch, a track relay for said stretch, an auxiliary relay for controlling said switch, a trackway device forcontrolling said auxiliary relay, vehicle carried means for controlling said trackway device, andineans controlled by said track'relay for subsequently controlling said auxiliary-irela l1. In combination, track containing a switch, operating mecha nism'for said switch responsive to the relative polarity of the energy supplied thereto, track circuits for: said stretch including a track relay, trackway means controlled by said track relay'for supplying said operating mechanism with energy of one relative polarity or the other, and vehicle carried means for controlling said trackway means.

- 12. In combination, a stretch of railway track containing a switch, capable of assuming two extreme positions, operating mechanism for moving said switch to one or the other'of such extreme positions in accordance with the relative polarity of the energy supplied to such mechanism, track circuits for said stretch including a track relay, means located in the trackway andcontrolled by said track relay for supplying said mechanism with energy of one relative polarity or the other, and vehicle carried means for controlling said trackway means.

13. In a switching system, the combination of a trackway system including a main track and a switch leading into a diverging route, a power operated switch machine for operating said switch into either the closed or the open position, and means for controlling said switch machine comprising car carried apparatus acting on trackway means through an intervening air gap and effective to operate said switch machine to the open position if a car carried circuit is closed and trackway means including a circuit through a certain section of the track'rails of said main trackway effective to prevent said operation of said switch machine to the open position if said section is occupied.

14. In a switching system for railways in combination with a trackway system including a main track and a diverging route connected thereto through a track switch, a power operated switch machine for operating said switch, a trackway circuit for controlling the operation ofsaid switch machine and a stretch of railway manually controllable car carried means for inducing currents in said circuit to control 5 15. In a switching system, the combination of a railway track having a switch leading into a diverging route, a power operated switch machine for operating said switch to either the closed or the open position, means for controlling said switch machine effective to operate such switch to the open position if a manually operable device located on the switching locomotive is operated and a certain track section is occupied, provided a certain other track section is not occupied and eflective to again close said switch when said certain other track section is again unoccupied.

16. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch, a track circuit including a track relay for said section, means controlled from a car approaching said section for operating said switch, and means for preventing operation of said switch by 17. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch, means controlled.

from a car approaching said sectionf for operating said switch, and means for preventing operation of said switch by an approaching car if said section is occupied- 18. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch normally set for traflic on a main track, means controlled from a car approaching said section for reversing said switch to permit the car to enter another track, and means for preventing an approaching car from reversing said switch if said section is occupied.

19. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch normally set for trafiic on a main track, means controlled from a car approaching said section for reversing said switch to permit the car to enter another track, a track circuit including a track relay for said section, and means for preventing said switch being reversed by an approaching car if said relay is de-energized.

20. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a switch, atrack relay connected across the rails of said stretch, an auxiliary relay located in the trackway, vehicle carried means for energizing said auxiliary relay, a second auxiliary relay, means controlled by said first auxiliary relay for energizing said second auxiliary relay, means controlled by said track relay for subse-- quently maintaining said second auxiliary relay in its energized condition, and means controlled by said second auxiliary relay for actuating said switch.

21. In combination, a' stretch of railway track provided with a switch, a track. relay connected across the rails of said stretch, an

auxiliary relay located in the trackway, an

an approaching car if said track relay is open. I

inductor device located in the trackway and lay, avehicle carried inductor device arranged to cooperate with said first device to induce an electromotive force insaidwinding, a second auxiliary relay controlled by said track relayand said first auxiliary relay,

and means controlled by said second auxil-' iary relay for actuatingsaid switch.

. 22. In. combination,,a stretch or'v railway track providedfwith a switch, a track'relay connected across the rails of said stretch, an auxiliary relaylocated in the trackway, an inductor device-'locatedpin the trackway and comprising a. paramagnetic core having: a

winding; thereon theterminals of such winding being connected w th said auxiliary rela'y,, a vehicle carried inductor device com,-

prising; a paramagnetic core provided .with a winding and. arranged to be placed in .induct-Ive relation with said first device when the vehicle-approaches said switch,, a, circuit for such last; mentioned winding including an energy source and a"manually operable circuit controller, a second auxiliary relay controlled by said track relay and said first auxiliary relay, and means controlled by saidsecond auxiliary relay. for actuating said switch. e

23.111 combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a switch, a trackway device comprising a paramagneticcore, a relay, a first winding-on said core; an electrical circuit including said winding, saidrelay and a source of energy; a second winding on said core connected in parallel with said source, vehicle carried means adapted to cooperate with'said device to control said relay, and

means controlled by said relay for operating said switch.

24JIn combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a switch, a traokway device comprising a paramagnetic core, a relay, a first winding on said core; an electrical circuit including said winding, said relay and a source of energy, a second winding on said core connectedin parallel with said source, vehicle carried means arranged to cooperate 'with said device to produce in said second comprising a paramagnetic core having; a winding: thereon; the terminals of such winding being connected. with sald auxiliary reremoving said track relay from the control of 4 such circuit, a second winding on said core connected in parallel with said source, vehicle carried means arranged to cooperate with said device to produce in said second winding an electromotive force opposite in direc- I tion to that applied by said source, and means controlled by said relay for actuating said mechanism.

26. In combination, a stretch of track provided with a switch, operating mechanism for said switch, a trackway ramp, a train carried contact shoe adapted to engage said ramp, a track relay for said stretch, an auxiliary relay for said stretch; an electrical circuit including said shoe, said ramp, a manually operable contact, said auxiliary relay and an energy source; means controlled by saidtrack relay and operative only when said auxiliary relay is de-energizedfor'maintaining-such auxiliary relay in its energized condition, and means controlled by said auxiliary relay for actuating said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BERTRAM' R. PADMORE. 

